Letters to Hikari
by Fluffy Raikou-Sinful Snackbag
Summary: (Set in the aftermath of Pokemon Super Mystery Dungeon) Minaa, a riolu of 14, is a fresh heroine when her best friend, Hikari the pikachu, is forced to leave. Minaa chooses a unique way of dealing with her depression as life gets...interesting...(T for dark topics and language.)
1. Prolouge

**Hi! I recently saw the ending to PSMD, after enjoying the full game to it fullest...am I the only one to have cried my heart out and spent the next eight hours singing sad songs and drawing pictures? I probably am... Anyhoo...nope, I don't own Pokémon, and that's probably a good thing. I'd never make any good choices for business...(Just know, each character in this story has adopted a name other than their species name. Plus, I have added bits of dialogue and taken away some of it as well. Enjoy.)**

* * *

 _Hikari's Perspective_

I let out a long yawn as I sat up and for a few seconds, I was confused about my surroundings, before I realized I was in my home back in Serene Village. I had passed out after spending till long after moonhigh telling the story of Dark Matter and my accomplishments alongside...

Minaa. The young riolu was sleeping in her bed next to mine. As I looked at her, she yawned and pawed cutely at something in her dream. I giggled. Even in her sleep, Minaa was fun to be around.

Next to my bed was the teardrop-shaped amethyst on a silver chain. It was a necklace, and I wore it under my scarf. Just like every morning, I reached over, lifted my scarf up, and clipped the necklace on.

I stretched and walked into the next room to greet my old pops. He was murmuring distractedly while stirring something in his pot. It smelled of various fruits.

"Morning, Pops!" I said happily. The elderly carracosta turned and smiled at me. "Good morning, Hikari," he said. "Did you sleep well last night?"

I nodded. "Uh, yeah. Funny how talking gets me tired like that."

He chuckled and turned back to his cooking. "Do you have any plans today?"

I clapped my hands together excitedly. "Yes! Play with Minaa and all my classmates A-A-A-ALL DAY!"

He nodded, smiling. "Don't cause any trouble today. Be a good little pikachu."

"Yes, Pops. See you later!"

I stepped outside to enjoy the morning air. From afar, I got a view of some villagers exchanging greetings in the plaza. I stretched for a moment. "What a beautiful morning!" I murmured to myself. "Minaa's still out like a log, so I guess I'll go for a little walk on my own."

Looking up, I noticed a strange ball of blue light floating in the sky. _Hey, what's that?_ I thought. _It looks like it might land over the hill with the big tree!_

"Pops!" I called. "Hey, Pops, take a look at this!"

* * *

My eyes fluttered open sleepily to the warm home Hikari had grown up in. To my surprise, her nest was empty. The necklace she set beside her bed every night wasn't there, either.

 _Hm?_ I thought. _Odd. Hikari usually sleeps later than me._ I got to my feet and brushed off a few stray strands of hay, before heading into the next room. Richard the carracosta was cooking something smelling of Leppa and Sitrus berries.

"Good morning, Minaa," Richard said, not taking his attention away from his cooking. "Did you sleep well last night?"

I nodded. "Yes, sir. Hey, do you have any idea where Hikari is?"

"Hikari?" Richard said. "Yes. Last I heard, she was planning to pop over by the hill with the big tree."

 _The hill with the big tree?_ I thought. _Gosh, that brings back some memories. Maybe I'll wander up there myself._ "Thank you, sir." I bowed a little before taking off out the door.

Over the bridge and down the path led me to see a familiar goomy and deerling.

"Oh, hi, Minaa!" Alexia chirped. "You're up late. How are you?"

"Oh, just great! I just saved the world!" I replied with a laugh. Freddy and Alexia laughed as well.

Alexia nodded toward the patch on my eye and bandage over my elbow. "Gee, those look nasty. What happened?"

I shrugged. "Well, dodging some spikes - long story - ripped the elbow cap out of me." Freddy cringed. Alexia nodded sadly. I touched my eyepatch. "I hit my eye before that. Hit with a fragment of Dark Matter when Hikari cracked it."

Freddy shuddered. "Ouch. Will you get either of them back?"

I sighed and shook my head. "Probably not. Oh well, at least I have proof I fought."

"Ehm...point taken? Anyway, are you looking for Hikari?" Freddy inquired. "We saw her heading towards the tree-hill-place."

I nodded. "Yeah, I was planning to meet her up there. Nice talk. See ya!" Alexia and Freddy waved the best they could as I dashed off toward the old hill.

Sure enough, when I arrived, Hikari sat on the top of the hill. Her aura said she was lost in thought, distressed and confused all at once. That was what I could sense- she was on my blind side.

"Hikari?" I said. "Show yourself. You're on my blind side."

Hikari snapped out of her thoughts. "Minaa? Oh, Minaa. Come over here...It feels nice under the clouds."

I turned so I could see Hikari and settled down next to her. _It's true,_ I thought. _Such a nice morning._

Hikari sighed wistfully. "Now that I think about it," she said to me. "we were sitting here under the clouds just like this...You remember? Back when we first met. You and I came up to this hill...And I told you about my dream."

"I remember," I replied, nodding.

"This is where I gave you that scarf, too," Hikari continued, her honey colored eyes sparkling. "This is where Carter let us become Junior Expedition Society members...and where we decided to leave the village and set out together." She reached over and grabbed my paw gently. "We've shared so many memories up here..."

 _It's true,_ I thought. _I remember so many times...It's no wonder, though. This is a really nice spot. The wind feels great up here._

 _I really...I really want to stay in this world!_

 _That's it._

"Hikari..."

She looked at me quizzically as I launched into what was coming. Her mouth fell open. "Minaa!" she cried.

"The role I have to play in this world has gotta come to and end, sooner or later!" I said. "Before long, it's gonna be time for me to go back to the human world. But," I added as Hikari's eyes widened. "I don't wanna go...I want to stay right here. In this world. So, we've gotta find a way to keep me here!"

I pulled on Hikari's hand, getting her to stand up. She cast me a confused look.

"More than anything else," I said quietly, tugging Hikari closer. "I want to stay here with you, Hikari. I don't ever want to say goodbye."

Hikari folded her lips over her teeth and looked away.

"...thank you..." she choked out. "Thank you...Minaa..."

I cocked an eyebrow. "Hikari...?"

"Minaa..." she said. "Do you know why I came here?" I shook my head. "Well," Hikari continued as if I hadn't done anything. "I saw a light falling here, onto this hill. That light...was actually Xerneas."

I blinked in surprise. _Xerneas?!_ Hikari nodded like she could sense what I was thinking. "Xerneas," the pikachu repeated. "When she found me here...Xerneas said...that she was here to wake me."

 _Xerneas came...to wake Hikari...?_ I thought in confusion. The term sounded foreign to my ears. I hoped the look in my eyes - well, eye - was more curious than startled.

"She said she'd promised me." Hikari said, looking straight at me, then her eyes filled with wonder. "Why would Xerneas promise me something like that? And when, even?" she questioned aloud. I shrugged, absolutely clueless.

Hikari took my other paw in her hand and looked at me. I couldn't read the expression on her face.

"But when I touched Xerneas's horns," Hikari said, her voice almost a whisper. "I understood. I remembered. Minaa..." She leaned in to whisper in my ear. "The truth is...I'm Mew."

I pulled away from her sharply. "M-Mew?!" I cried, my voice sounding strangled with shock. "THAT Mew?! The one who-?!" I would never doubt anything Hikari said, no matter how absurd. Or, that's what I thought. This was insane!

Hikari nodded slowly. "Yeah. Back when Crystal - you know, Carter's celebi friend - told me she thought this would be my battle to fight, I knew somehow, she was right. It was like something just clicked. Although I had no idea what it meant then, once I touched Xerneas, I finally got it!"

She let go of my paws and took a step back. "In my previous life, I was Mew." She cracked a small smile.

"In..a...previous life." I stuttered in disbelief. "What?!"

"Minaa, we met a long time ago," Hikari murmured with a sigh. "Way longer than you can imagine. And when we fought, way back in the past, we defeated Dark Matter thanks to the stars aligning just right." Her smile fell. "Or, that's what we thought. But that wasn't really true."

My mouth was moving, but no words came out. I wanted to ask what the heck she was going on about, and that she could drop the prank. But I felt deep inside me that I knew she was right. With me still speechless, Hikari continued.

"Minaa, you and Mew defeated Dark Matter using all your strength, but it's no good to just defeat Dark Matter. All the hatred inside Dark Matter rained down upon the world...So that Dark Matter would be reborn in the distant future. And it was. It's just like Dark Matter said in this battle."

She was backing away form me again. I blinked rapidly, still lost as could be.

"In other words, when we last defeated Dark Matter, we actually failed! Mew messed up... _I,_ messed up. So I was prepared to take responsibility. I sent my spirit into the future. To be born as Hikari."

I blinked and shook my head. "Hikari..You.."

Hikari gave me a look before holding a finger to my mouth for silence. "Minaa, it wasn't the Beeheeyem who erased all your memories. It was me. I..or, Mew...erased your memories. It was what you agreed to before coming to this world."

"I agreed to having my memories erased?!" I blurted. Hikari nodded with a small laugh.

"Yeah. We'd made all those plans, like sealing the Luminous Water and all that, but I realized that if we went off of what we already knew, we'd end up making the same mistakes. We _couldn't_ win like that."

I noticed she was glancing at me like she expected a response. I blinked apologetically. Truthfully, I had nothing.

Her hands slipped from my grasp. Hikari looked down sadly and hugged herself loosely. "Dark Matter was born..." she whispered. "from the negative emotions lurking within ancient Pokemon. Some of those emotions originated from Mew as well. But, when I accepted Dark Matter, it disappeared, along with the part of it that came from Mew."

A squeak of alarm escaped my mouth when Hikari's outline almost seemed to warp. Hikari shook her head and held her hands up when I tried to step closer.

"It was my battle," Hikari's voice was breaking in sadness. " I was fighting to forgive Mew...to forgive myself. But when I accepted Dark Matter, I set in motion my own death, as part of it."

 _Death?!_ I thought feverishly as Hikari looked at me. Her honey gaze held love and sorrow in it. I had no idea why, but it broke my heart. "It's not you who has to go, Minaa..." she murmured. "...it's me."

There it went. As Hikari backed away steadily, my heart shattered like a crystal vase. All my confusion was gone, leaving nothing but agonizing unwillingness at what was coming next.

A faint ball of golden light swirled around Hikari. I thought I could see tears springing at her eyes. "It's a strange feeling," I heard her say as I approached hastily. "I'm Mew. But at the same time, I'm not. I'm Hikari too, you know."

Another voice was echoing Hikari's. It was feminine, high-pitched, and warbled.

 _Is this the voice of Mew?_ I wondered. But I didn't dwell on it; Hikari was speaking again.

"I asked Xerneas for a final favor," she said. "When I remembered everything, I knew I would disappear. But..I had to at least tell you, Minaa. I had to explain. So I begged Xerneas to not make me disappear before I at least got to do that. So I'm glad she kept up her end of the bargain."

She stepped closer and held one of my paws. "The part of me that is Mew is filled with joy at finally done what I was meant to do. But the part of me that is Hikari hates that I have to give up on my dreams right when I was getting started, and..."

 _Stop drawing it out!_ I thought angrily, screwing my eyes shut to let the tears fall, ignoring the fact my blind eye stung at this action. _Hikari never draws anything out. Get to the point!_

"hates that I have to say goodbye to you." Hikari's hand left my paw and she backed away until she could fall off the hill if she tipped backwards. The light brightened, but I could still see tears streaking down her face.

"Just so you know, Minaa," Hikari wiped a spot under her eye. "I really, really wanted to stay with you too, Minaa. I actually wanted to stay with you forever, but..." She sniffed. "I guess I'm out of time...!"

My head was shaking slowly. _This is it,_ I found in my tangled mess of thoughts. _Hikari is leaving me. My worst nightmares are coming true._ "Hikari..." I rasped.

"R-remember, this world only k-keeps going b-because everyone s-supports one another," Hikari stammered, trying to get her voice under control. She did this when she was trying to stay in high spirits but wanted to scream. "Th-they live every day accepting one another. The one who taught that truth to a self-centered fool like me...is you, Minaa."

 _The light...Hikari!_ I thought fervently as the ball of light got brighter.

"Hikari, don't leave me!" I blurted. Hikari smiled through her tears, attempting to be cheerful. "I'm not," she said. The voice overlaying hers was suddenly gone."Minaa, I love you. You're my best friend, no matter where either of us are. I'll always be a part of you, you know this. Don't forget me, because I'll never forget you!"

Hikari's feet left the ground. The ball of light began to carry her towards the sky. "I'll be fine!" she called. "I'm always fine, aren't I?" I stumbled forward, tripping as I reached for Hikari. Something fell from the light. I could barely believe it - it was the amethyst necklace that Hikari wore _all the time._

I grabbed it and held it to my heart, not stopping the tears in my eyes. "Now Minaa," Hikari was yelling. "Do me one last favor, and don't you cry!"

"Too late for that," I mumbled ruefully. I drew in a breath. "Hikari!" I screamed to the light. "Hikari, come back!"

 _"HIKARI!"_

* * *

 _When two spirits meet and go through so much together...they must be drawn back together. They will surely meet again._

* * *

 _Would you like to save your adventure?_

 _-Save and Continue  
Save and Return to Main Menu  
Don't Save_

 _Is it okay to overwrite your previously saved data?_

 _-Yes  
No_

 _Saving...Please do not turn off the power._


	2. Chase Is An Idiot

**Well, that last chapter was a trip. o_o;; Keep in mind, I actually have no idea where I'm going with this story. Hm, my take on the PSMD ending? Let's go with that. This _is_ all just one big experiment. Let me know if you enjoyed. Still don't own Pokemon(DANGIT!).**

* * *

 _It's been about a week since what happened in Serene Village,_ I scribbled in my leather book, dodging the wrinkly bits of paper my tears had created. My eyes were narrow and my paw shaking with exhaustion as I wrote. _I'm not feeling too great. Chase was being a numskull while giving me a writing prompt for my studies. The buizel said, "If you could write a letter to a friend far away, what would you say?" What. An. Idiot. Didn't I do this sort of thing in third grade? I am at a freshman in high school level, not third grade. Use your brain, Chase!_ _  
_

"U-um, Minaa," I heard Derek the archen's raspy voice. I looked over at him. He looked bedraggled as he stood in my doorway. I'd heard chatter earlier that day that he'd gone out to the Dragon Gate on the Grass Continent and failed, miserably. "Dinner's ready."

I sighed and bookmarked the page in the diary. "I'll be out in a minute."

With Hikari gone, I'd began to isolate myself from everyone. The Expedition Society had already heard what had happened, but I wasn't the one who told them. My guess was that Red - an espurr and one of my former classmates in Serene Village - had read my mind and saw what happened. She must've told someone, words spread around the village, and the Kecleon Shop Information network had gotten it to Lively Town. As a spoink in the town had put it, "It was why she left Serene Village so suddenly."

When I finally entered the dining hall, Derek, Chase, and our chief, Carter the ampharos, were already sitting and discussing the day's outings. I sat in my usual spot without a word.

"Ah, salutations, my good Minaa," Carter said to me. "And how was your expedition today?"

"I didn't go out," I snapped.

Chase rubbed the spot between his eyes, sighed and pointed his hand at Carter. "Carter, she's technically still on vacation. It ends the day after tomorrow, remember?"

Carter blinked in confusion, before blinking in realization. "Oh, r-right. You are correct, Chase. My apologies, Minaa.""

I waved without saying a word. Kloey, a swirlix and the Expedition Society's gluttonous steward, hummed to herself as she slid a final plate on to the table. She hopped around the table, observing the spread, the nodding in satisfaction. "Alright!" she chirped. "I'm going to go fetch Sachi and Anna. Chief, do you know when Irene is getting back?"

"I'm actually right here."

I turned to look in the doorway of the dining hall. Irene, a mawile and our resident archeologist, was smiling and looking tired. She walked around the table and took her place beside Carter.

Kloey laughed. "Good, you're here. I was going to eat your share!"

"If that were to happen," Carter said with a good-natured snicker, "I just might fire you!"

The swirlix gasped in mock shock. "You wouldn't! How would anyone get enough food without me here?"

Irene stuck her tongue out. "You know we wouldn't, Kloey. Now go fetch Sachi and Anna."

While part of me was happy to see the whole Society in high spirits, the rest was just...angry. The world had done me a terrible wrong, and some of the people I was closest to weren't even aware of how much it had hurt me.

When our starstruck astronomer, Sachi, and squeaky-voiced communications manager, Anna(a jirachi and dedenne respectively), had finally taken their seats, everyone began to eat, like normal. I looked at the empty space beside me. If Hikari had been here, she would've replied to everything Kloey said with a witty quip, and I would parrot back something like "Shut your mouth, sweetie".

Sighing, I began to nibble at a few Oran berries. I didn't pay any attention to the words exchanged unless they were directed at me, which they never were.

I was moving some candied Razz berries around my plate with a fork when I picked up the words "She was so young and vital, too. Didn't deserve to die- er, leave so soon." Sachi's voice was low as he said it. Carter nodded in agreement.

"Yes. A crying shame. Look what it did to Minaa, as well." I pretended to not notice the concerned glances cast my way. Carter sighed.

"Well, I don't see why she has to mope about it so much," Chase said unfeelingly. I clasped the handle ofthe fork in my paw, suddenly so angry I felt it start to bend. Not noticing my sudden anger, Chase continued. "It's been a week. You'd think she'd move on already."

I shot to my feet and threw my fork angrily at Chase, surprising myself as much as I surprised everyone else. The fork whizzed by Chase's head, narrowly missing and getting stuck in the wall behind him. "How could you be so unfeeling?!" I cried. "You haven't lost your best friend in the entire world! It's not something you get over in a week!"

Carter slammed a fist onto the table, attempting to be intimidating. "Minaa. Stop this behavior, at once."

"You're not my father," I snapped back. Ignoring the shocked looks from the rest of the Expedition Society, I darted out of the dining hall and ducked into my room.

Tears of anger sprang at my good eye. I was breathing quickly and heavily, twitching slightly, and curling and uncurling my fists. In the corner of the room, there was a table containing random knickknacks. A picture in a frame, a gold Looplet, a book, and a necklace. Spontaneously, I swept my arm across the table, sending everything to the floor. The book fell open to a random page, audibly cracking the spine. The glass across the picture shattered into bits. The Looplet rolled across the room like a wheel, and the necklace landing with a clatter.

My anger dissolved when I saw the picture and the necklace. The picture was of Hikari and I. The pikachu was resting her arm across my shoulders, smirking zealously. I was rolling my eyes, making a circle around my temple in a "she's cuckoo" motion.

The necklace was the amethyst teardrop she always wore. The one she'd thrown me as she floated into the sky.

I began to brush the glass shards into a pile when I felt Irene's frustratingly perfect orange-red aura outside my door. I sighed in exasperation. "Irene, I thought you learned long ago it was impossible to sneak up on me. I can sense your aura."

Irene chuckled a little. "Sorry. I wasn't sure how you'd react if I just walked in."

"I wouldn't appreciate that," I replied. "But I also don't appreciate you trying to sneak in. There is such thing as knocking, you know."

She shrugged, then moved to picked up the book and Looplet, then set them back on the table. "So," she murmured. "I know that Chase didn't pick the smartest choice of words-"

"Oh, you think?" I interrupted. "I'm sure he was just saying what no one else is willing to admit. Dammit," I hissed as a glass shard cut my paw.

Irene shook her head. "No, he was not. I don't know if you noticed, but he's not very good at getting his ideas across to other people without hurting them. Besides, you're not the only one who was affected badly by Hikari's death. Have you seen Derek lately? Poor archen. You and Hikari are like the little sisters he never had, so you might be able to imagine."

I froze. What Irene was saying seemed true. I wish that I had noticed...I guess I was to busy wallowing in my own misery. Pathetic.

"It's not pathetic."

I cussed under my breath when I realized I'd said my thoughts aloud.

"It's not pathetic," Irene repeated. "I actually know exactly how you feel... Can I tell you a story?"

I blinked in surprise at Irene's sudden and odd request, but nodded. She sat down on the floor and took the paw I'd cut in her hand, pressing the area around the cut lightly.

"Carter and I have known each other since we were very young," Irene began. "We both grew up in Capim Town on the Grass Continent. He and I were very close friends, but he was also good friends with my sister."

"You have a sister?" I inquired. Irene used her finger to wipe some of the blood away from the cut.

"Had," she corrected. "I had a sister. When I was about your age, my sister - Janice was her name- got sick with the same disease you had a few months back. You remember?"

Oh, I remember. It's hard to forget a disease where you're coughing up the purple ooze coating your lungs. Nobody was supposed to survive once they caught it. When I _did_ survive, I was seen as a miracle child. Doctors managed to extract the disease repellent in my immune system and create a vaccine against the disease. I don't mean to toot my own horn, but I kinda saved millions from death. Without meaning to.

I didn't voice this. I just nodded to let Irene continue.

"Janice died," she said with a sigh. "Carter and I were distraught. I went into a phase similar to what you're going through. How did I deal with it?" She smirked. "I wrote letters to her. I updated her on what was going on in my life, and always telling her how much I missed her. It was...therapeutic. I'm a little embarrassed to admit it, but I still do write letters to her..."

I hummed in acknowledgement. "Maybe I could give this letter thing a try?" I murmured. Irene nodded.

"Look at me," she said briskly. I turned to her. "Smile," Irene ordered. I purposely pouted and crossed my arms. Irene reached over and used her thumbs to pull my lips up.

"You have thumbs?" I mumbled. Irene laughed. "Birth defect worked in my favor. Now, hug me."

I groaned in mock exasperation, but hugged Irene willingly. "I'll leave you to your thoughts." Irene said as she got up and left the room.

As soon as I heard chatter from the dining hall return, I grabbed my leather diary and began to write.

 _Dear Hikari,_

 _I don't know why I'm writing this- a letter to my dead best friend. When you died, everyone knew my sanity went out the window, but this? Ship me to a mental asylum, please. I suppose I might as well say why I am committing this act of insanity. Chase made a remark that wasn't the smartest choice of words I've ever heard. I...kind of, sort of, maybe- okay, I nearly murdered him with a fork(long story). Cutting to the chase, Irene mentioned that writing letters to her dead sister(another long story) helped her deal with grief and maybe would help me too. So here I am now. Look, I'm doing my best to not be brash, but I can't help being angry at everything. My life took a nosedive when you left, and I'm wondering now if it's even possible to get back on track. I miss you. Way too much.  
_

 _Minaa_

* * *

 _Would you like to save your adventure?_

 _-Save and Continue  
Save and Return to the Main Menu  
Don't Save_

 _Is it okay to overwrite the previously saved data?_

 _-Yes  
No_

 _Saving...Please do not turn off the power._


	3. Great, Roy's Here

**Soooooo...I guess we're back? My mind has been gone since forever. I had a migraine this morning, so THAT didn't help with progress on ANYTHING. Oh well. I guess I'll just buckle down and help Minaa continue faking her smiles. Characters OOC. We all know this(I hope? I'm not good at NOT making characters OOC!) I don't own Pokemon, much to my own discontent. I KID, I KID.**

* * *

Unfortunately for me, I didn't get any sleep after the dinner blowup. The weather was awful. Mumbling to myself, I rearranged they hay nest again and laying down, I covered my ears in a vague attempt to combat the thunder.

 _Blast, Tornadus-damned weather,_ I thought to myself. _Well, I'm not going to sleep anytime soon. Might as well read a book or something. Where's my candle?_

After fumbling in the dark for a while, I found a candle. More fumbling led me to the kitchen, where I struck a match and lit it. The dining hall illuminated with the faint light.

A figure was stooping over a box of leftovers. At first I paid little attention, thinking it was Kloey, but discovered that it was, in fact, Chase.

"Chase? What are you doing up so late?" I asked. He froze, defensive.

"I-I could ask you the same thing," he snapped. "You?"

I sighed. "Thunder. Can't sleep? Sound familiar?"

Chase wiped a stray crumb from the corner of his mouth. "If you need help sleeping, just ask Irene for that Sleep Powder she's been collecting. You...really shouldn't be staying up this late. It's not healthy."

"Is anything I do healthy?" I asked ruefully. "Hey, I nearly killed you with a fork a few short hours ago. I'm sure the thing is still in the wall."

Chase chuckled weakly and sighed. "Yeah...about that...I'm sorry."

" _You're_ sorry?" I furrowed my brow. "Um, I'm the one who-"

"That's enough of that, kid. I didn't pick the best choice of words. I need to start thinking before I speak. I'm...grieving too, you know..." The buizel mumbled the last few words to himself.

I cracked a small smile. "And I should have noticed that sooner. I'm sorry too. So...friends?"

"Friends- gah!" Chase's voice cracked. I laughed.

We shook paws. Chase looked a little choked up, an expression I thought I'd never see on any guy's face(never mind Chase 's).

"Oh my Arceus," he said quietly. "You're smiling and laughing...After Hikari died, I thought I'd never see you smile again..."

I blinked, taken aback. Chase rubbed an eye in an embarrassed manner, chuckling awkwardly. "Well, kid, I'm going to head back to bed. What about you?"

I shrugged. "Maybe. I'll be up for quite a while. Reading, or something."

"Well, good night then, Minaa."

* * *

The next few days went by without much more fuss. Two days after the dinner blowup, I got off of vacation, making today my first day back at work.

I don't know how I feel about it...

Pre-morning rollcall chatter awoke me. Somebody had left me a small plate of various berries on a table, which I ignored. I didn't feel like eating.

Derek and Chase were exchanging words, while Irene stood across the room, reading a book with a thick red cover.

"Need coffee," Chase suddenly declared. "Whose turn was it to bring the Arbok's this morning?"

A voice sound from the front door. "Mine." it said.

"Sylvester!" Derek called, his excitement sounded forced. Irene set her book down, and everyone else crowded around Sylvester the bunnelby. He'd been noticeably absent for the last few days.

Sylvester was balancing two trays of cups with an arbok logo on his ears. Smiling fondly at his friends, he transported the trays from his ears to his paws.

I hugged myself loosely, feeling left out. Sylvester had never been my favorite person, so I felt uneasy approaching him.

Hikari would've persuaded me to at least say hi. I might as well be a decent person and do that.

Sylvester waved in my direction. I smiled shyly. "H-hi," I squeaked. "Where ya been, Sylvester?"

"Noe Town," Sylvester replied. "Carter had me stationed there for a while."

Sachi was suddenly rushing down the stairs. "I SMELL COFFEE!" he cried. Not watching where he was going, I suddenly found myself on the floor, paws stinging from the impact.

I growled and glared at Sachi, who was nuzzling Sylvester and begging for a cup.

"Didja get the extra foam on mine?" chided Sachi. I got to my feet and tried not to let my frustration get the best of me.

"No, Chief!" I heard Anna squeak from the stairs. "This way. Follow me..."

Anna was making her way down the stairs, keeping an eye behind her. Carter bumbled after her, looking clueless as usual. I waved a little and shuffled to my usual spot. Everyone else did the same.

Carter cleared his throat. "Today's order of business," he began, "Actually, nothing in particular. Give it your all out there, team!"

Chase and Sylvester snickered under their breaths, and Irene and Sachi exchanged a confused glance. Ignoring Carter's strange "agenda", we all pumped a fist in the air and cried "Yes, sir!".

The usual humdrum of a morning in Lively Town comforted me somewhat. May, a kricketot, was holding a musical class in the middle of the plaza. Myra the klefki was helping a gible, while David the kecleon sorted through his wares.

Most activity stopped as I passed through the plaza on my way to the harbor. First the staring, then the whispering and sympathetic murmurs. I'm not going to pretend it didn't bother me, but I couldn't be bothered making a scene in front of the entire town. Gritting my teeth, I started running, keeping my head low.

Suddenly, I cannoned into a wall of muscle and fur, knocking both me and the other Pokemon backwards.

I shook the stars out of my sight and stood to see who I knocked into. My jaw dropped so wide, I could swear I felt it hit the ground below me. I'd recognize this green-eyed riolu anywhere.

"You know, sis, we really need to stop bumping into each other like this," he commented snarkily.

This was Roy. My brother from when I was a human.

I chuckled to myself as he dusted himself off. Today he wore a brown pilot's cap with goggles above his eyes, his ears poking through the hat. "You look dumb," I blurted spontaneously.

He rolled his eyes. "Well, _THANKS._ I feel fashionable." He stuck his tongue out at me. " _Cynthia_ didn't saw I look dumb."

Roy had taken a role in saving the world, just like I did, three years prior to my arrival here in the Pokemon world. He was involved in an incident with some mysterious treasures called the "Time Gears". Cynthia the shinx, his partner in crime(except they aren't criminals), had been there with him. Because of his adventures, Roy and Cynthia were odd ones. Cynthia would oftentimes begin to rant about a grovyle named Grant and what he'd once done and how much she missed him. Roy would usually break off a conversation just to stare off into space.

Even weirder, Roy retained every memory from when he was a human. The only thing he forgot was his own name.

"Speaking of Cynthia," I said. "Where is she?"

Roy shrugged. "She decided to stay behind in Treasure Town. I came here because I have a message for carter of the Expedition Society. You work for him, right?"

I nodded. "Yes...What's going on? Something wrong back at your home?"

"Something like that. now, c'mon. It's been quite awhile since I've been back here, and I can't remember the lay of the land. Take me to your H.Q."

Not many words were exchanged on our way back. That is, suddenly a golduck thundered out of the cafe alongside a butterfree and an electabuzz. The golduck looked stressed, and the electabuzz fumbling with a camera. The butterfree was darting about, alert.

Roy suddenly cowered behind me when he saw them. He pulled his cap down and put his goggles over his eyes. "Crap," he mumbled under his breath. "Make sure they don't see me!"

"Why not?" I inquired.

"They've been stalking Cynthia and I for a while. They're determined there's something behind the fact we're always together. We're just partners, I swear!" His voice cracked with worry.

I smirked evilly. "Are you surrrre?" I said. He gasped. "Oh, no, not you too! Just, keep me hidden. _Please._ "

Much to my discontent(I love seeing Roy caught in the middle of a chaos like a camera crew) we managed to shuffle past them. Roy looked behind himself once, then sighed in relief, taking his cap off. The fur on his head was frizzing in all directions, like mine did.

Chase and Derek were arguing outside the headquarter doors. Derek broke off the conversation when he saw Roy and I.

"Oh, hi, Minaa," the archen rasped when he saw us. "Who's that with you?"

"And _why_ does he have and absolutely ridiculous cap with him?!" Chase blurted suddenly, then clapped his paws over his mouth. Derek face-winged, then gave Chase a "dude, seriously?" look.

He cleared his throat. "Excuse my colleague," he said, his voice a little less raspy. "He can be...erratic at times. What's your name?"

Roy blinked at me in exasperation, then turned back to Derek and Chase. "I'm Roy, a member of the Wigglytuff Guild in Treasure Town, and I have a message for Carter. I would appreciate seeing him?"

"Y-yeah, I'll take you to him." Chase mumbled, face pink with embarrassment. "Follow me."

Roy gave me a look like he wanted me to stay behind, but I put my chin up defiantly and followed. Roy sighed in irritation.

Carter was in his desk, like usual. He was rummaging awkwardly through paper in frustration, unable to sort properly. His flipper-paw hybrid hands could be a disability at times. He looked up at us, then regained his composure.

"Roy," he greeted. "Greetings. What brings you here all the way from Treasure Town?"

Roy stood in front of Carter's desk. "I...I bring news." he began quietly. "I would like to inform you...Our town is in disarray. We need help with order. We were wondering if it would be possible for you to send two or so members to Treasure Town with me."

Carter blinked. "What's going on?" he inquired.

"Guild Master Wigglytuff has died."

* * *

 _Would you like to save your adventure?_

 _-Save and Continue  
Save and Return to Main Menu  
Don't Save_

 _Is it okay to overwrite the previously saved data?_

 _-Yes  
No_

 _Saving...Please do not urn off the power._


	4. The Thieves' Camp

**LE MUSTARD- oh, wait, crap, wrong story.**

* * *

 _Dear Hikari,_

 _Don't question why I'm in Treasure Town with Derek right now. It's complicated. But Roy was right, Treasure Town is in disarray. Derek had to save my lousy butt from some stupid xenophobic braxien who attacked me, and I beat a thieving grumpig senseless after he attempted a shakedown. From what Roy and Cynthia have told me, after Guild Master Wigglytuff passed, a band of thieves and criminals settled outside the town and they've been harassing the citizens. The shopkeepers and most of the citizens of little to no fighting experience, and without Wigglytuff here, they're scared, allowing the criminals to do their work. The other Guild members are too busy trying to keep law and order in place, and Roy and Cynthia are afraid they can't take on the criminals on their own. That's why they asked for two of the Expedition Society to come. I don't see how four have any better chances then two did, but you always said, two heads are better then one. Or in this case, greater than two is four. We're going after the thieves tomorrow afternoon. Wish us luck.  
_

 _Minaa_

In my bag were envelopes and papers I'd smuggled past Derek. I folded the letter into thirds, sealed the envelope, and put it back in.

It was well after eleven and my insomnia wasn't releasing its cruel grip on me. Cynthia was sleeping peacefully beside me, while Derek and Roy were across the room from us. The moon was full(that didn't help with my desire to sleep), allowing light to filter in the room. Cynthia's paw twitched occasionally, and Roy snoring often.

Cynthia's eyes suddenly flew open. She gasped and leaped to her paws, hyperventilating and looking wildly around the room. Her yellow gaze fell on me and she visibly relaxed.

I blinked. "Jeez, Cynthia," I whispered. "What's the matter?"

She sighed and sat back on her hindquarters. "N-nothing. Just a nightmare I've been having for a while now. I'm terribly sorry if I startled you."

"It's all right," I murmured. "Care to tell?"

Cynthia laid back down and set her head on her paws."I dunno if Roy's ever told you, but after we defeated Dialga, he had to go away for a few weeks."

"Go where?" I inquired.

She blinked, and her eyes misted wistfully. "I'm not sure. Somewhere. We put the Time Gears back and changed the future, making it so Roy- and, well, Grant if you think about it- not exist anymore. I-I was right in front of him as he disappeared."

I felt a pang of something I couldn't place in my chest. Cynthia gave me an odd look.

"Minaa? Something wrong? You look like you were hit in the stomach..."

I felt my face heat, flustered. "O-oh nothing. Continue."

"The long and short of the whole thing is, I keep having to watch Roy disappear in my dreams." Cynthia lowered her eyelids sleepily, nodded her head, then snapped back up.

A smile pulled at my lips. "You look tired."

"Thanks, Captain...Obvious..." Cynthia yawned. "Oh, and, something I've been wondering. Why are you so thin? And where did the eyepatch and bandages come from?"

I blinked, surprised. "I-I've been fasting," I lied. "And, I'd rather not go into it."

Cynthia nearly nodded off again. "Oh. Well, if you don't wanna talk about it, it's okay...One more thing...Where's Hikari?"

I inhaled sharply. Roy had asked me the exact same thing on our way here. "Long story," I had mumbled, and I said the same thing here.

My response fell to deaf ears. Cynthia had fallen asleep.

* * *

"UP AND AT 'EM, SIS!"

Living with Hikari, I'd been screamed at numerous times. I could sense Roy's aura become laced with surprise when I didn't react to his screaming. I yawned and stretched, then stumbled to my feet.

Cynthia and Derek were blinking the sleep out of there eyes, and then there was me. Roy was hopping in circles, up and ready to go.

"Alright, who fed Roy sugar for breakfast?" I said with a yawn. Cynthia giggled. I cast her a glance of mock suspicion.

She ducked away from my weary eye and grabbed a red beanie with her teeth. When she threw it in the air, it landed squarely on her head. She reared on to her back paws, balanced, and pulled the hat on her head all the way.

Derek nodded, impressed somewhat. Roy suddenly, without warning, rocketed out the room with a wordless whoop.

Cynthia stifled a laugh, then sighed. "Please excuse Roy. I don't know what gotten into him!" She trotted out the door after him.

I smothered the twinge of envy in my chest, only to have it replaced with numbing sadness. Roy and Cynthia got along so easily, and they didn't have to worry about one or the other dying or disappearing on a regular basis. They still had each other. I sighed.

"Minaa? Are you okay?" Derek looked at me, his rasspy voice laced with concern.

I looked up at him sharply, then back at my lap. "I-I'm fine. Why do you ask?"

Derek shrugged. "You had that spacey look you get whenever someone brings up Hikari."

I hummed a note that might as well have been affirmative. Derek yawned and stretched his wings, standing up. "Well, I guess today's the day. You want something to eat before we go?"

"No. Um...thanks." I replied curtly.

I looked out the door Cynthia and Roy had gone through, then uneasily went through it. Roy and Cynthia were nowhere in sight at first, then I noticed Roy staring at a board on a wall covered with papers tacked to it. His lip curled and he let out a low growl.

Tapping his shoulder, I blinked. "Ehe...you okay there?"

He sighed. "Pardon my French, but, uh, we're in some pretty deep shit right now."

"I noticed." I shot back.

Cynthia trotted up to Roy's side. "I say. Perhaps we should head into town and prepare, hm?" She didn't wait for a response. Cynthia shoved Roy toward the front door, and headbutted me sharply.

"Ow." I mumbled, then followed Roy. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Derek trailing after us, carrying both Roy's bag and mine.

The sun suggested it was about ten in the morning. The mist from the coast hadn't been burned away yet, with shopkeepers warily guarding their stocks. The residential kecleon yelped in surprise once we approached him, then laid a hand on his chest in relief.

"Good heavens," he sighed. "You scared me! Uh, what will it be?"

Roy was rummaging through his bag, muttering things like "Dangerously low on Oran berries" and "Could use a couple more Totter Orbs". Eventually he stood up, put the bag back over his shoulder, and declared, "A couple Oran berries and Reviver Seeds, please."

The kecleon motioned to another kecleon, this one purple, and the purple one retreated warily into the store. He came back out with three berries and four seeds. Roy laid several coins on the counter and exchanged then for the items.

"Thank you, and have a lovely day." The two kecleons' usual cheeriness was gone.

I smiled weakly at them, then followed Roy and Cynthia deeper into town.

The main thing I noticed whilst waiting out the morning was Treasure Town lacked Lively Town's hustle-bustle attitude. Very few people strayed from their houses, even though we(and a few of the Guild) were patrolling the empty streets.

The number of criminals was surprisingly low as compared to the day before. The one thief I did see made a hasty retreat when he caught glimpse of my evil eye. I didn't see his species.

Derek shaded his eyes with his wing and looked up at the sun. "I suppose we should get going?" he suggested.

Cynthia and I exchanged a glance, then nodded. Roy pulled a compass out of his bag, the spun for a while, then pointed in some direction. "We go west," he declared. We followed as he scampered off.

* * *

Even the forest seemed desolate. The grass was trampled and dying, claw marks, charred spots, and strange smells were lingering on the beech bark.

"I don't like this," I whispered. "It's...too quiet."

Cynthia looked a the ground dejectedly. "This is what the thieves have done to our home." She suddenly stopped, spat, and raked her claws through a patch of weeds. "It's not fair! What have we done to them to deserve this?!"

"Keep your voice down," Derek murmured. "We don't want to be found."

I could empathize with Cynthia. I remembered how I shared Hikari's burning anger when she was going on and on about how no one had done anything to deserve a fate like being sent to the Voidlands. I placed my paw between Cynthia's shoulder blades and rubbed her, reassuring her.

Roy suddenly froze. He'd been silent on our entire way here, but suddenly hissed. "Get down!"

Without thinking, I fell flat to the ground, my belly parallel to the ground. Roy crept forward and peeked through a layer of underbrush, then ducked back.

"This is it," he said. "I'd say we have our thieves' camp."

* * *

 _Would you like to save your adventure?_

 _-Save and Continue  
Save and Return to Main Menu  
Don't Save_

 _Is it okay to overwrite the previously saved data?_

 _-Yes  
No_

 _Saving...Please do not turn off the power._


End file.
